FIG. 1a depicts a conventional power saw arrangement 100 including a base 102, a fence 120, a motor 122, a saw blade 124, a table 140 and a handle 160. In this example, the power saw arrangement 100 is that of a miter saw. A support surface 104 of the base 102 is used to support a workpiece thereon during a cutting operation. The fence 120 is coupled to the base 102 perpendicular to the support surface 104, and the workpiece abuts the fence 120 during the cutting operation. The table 140 is movably coupled to the base 102 such that it rotates about a table axis 142. The saw blade 124 is coupled to the table 140 and is configured to rotate with the table 140 as is well known in the art. The table 140 also includes a table surface 144 perpendicular to the table axis 142 and substantially coplanar with the support surface 104. The table 140 includes a saw blade opening 146 defined in the table surface 144. The saw blade opening 146 is configured to receive the saw blade 124, operated by the motor 122, during the cutting operation. The saw blade opening 146 is fixed with respect to the table 140 such that it rotates with the table 140. The saw blade opening 146 is aligned with the handle 160. The handle 160 is fixed to the table 140 and extends outwardly therefrom. Movement of the handle 160 about the table axis 142 results in rotation of the table 140 about the table axis 142.
FIG. 1b illustrates a top view of the base of the basic power saw arrangement shown in FIG. 1a. FIGS. 1c and 1d illustrate top views of the basic power saw arrangement 100 shown in FIG. 1a including the table and the handle. For simplicity, the illustrations of the basic power saw arrangement in FIGS. 1b-1d do not include the motor or the saw blade. As shown in FIG. 1b, the base 102 includes the support surface 104, as well as a first wall 106 and a second wall 108 which are perpendicular to the support surface 104. Referring to FIGS. 1c and 1d, the first wall 106 and second wall 108 are also provided in planes that are parallel to the table axis 142. The first wall 106 includes at least one point that acts as a first stop 107 which contacts the handle 160 as the handle 160 rotates with the table 140 in the direction of the first wall 106. As shown in FIG. 1c, upon contact with the first wall 106, the first stop 107 prevents the handle 160 from rotating any farther in the direction of the first wall 106. The second wall 108 includes at least one point that acts as a second stop 109 which contacts the handle 160 as the handle 160 rotates with the table 140 in the direction of the second wall 108. As shown in FIG. 1d, upon contact with the second wall 108, the second stop 109 prevents the handle 160 from rotating any farther in the direction of the second wall 108. It will be recognized that the first stop 107 and the second stop 109 may be provided in the form of planar surfaces or single points. The first stop 107 and the second stop 109 may be provided in the same or in different forms. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1b-1d, the first stop 107 and the second stop 109 are both provided in the form of planar surfaces.
As used herein, the term “handle space” refers to the space occupied by the handle 160, and the space directly above or below the handle (i.e., in the direction defined by axis 142) when the handle moves between the first stop 107 and the second stop 109. Thus, the “handle space” includes the space extending across the full range of motion of the handle 160. An illustration of the handle space 110 for the saw of FIGS. 1c and 1d is provided by the diagonal lines in FIG. 1b. As shown in FIGS. 1c and 1d, the handle 160 includes a handle edge 162 positioned opposite the table 140. When the handle 160 contacts the first stop 107, a point on the handle edge 162 and the first stop 107 define a first plane 106a that is parallel to the table axis 142. When the handle 160 contacts the second stop 109, a point on the handle edge 162 and the second stop 109 define a second plane 108a that is parallel to the table axis 142. Thus, the “handle space” 110 for the exemplary saw of FIGS. 1c-1d is provided within the space between the first plane 106a and the second plane 108a, along an arc 143 defined by the outermost edge of the handle when the handle moves between the first stop 107 and the second stop 109. In various power saws, corresponding structures create corresponding “handle spaces” as defined above.
FIG. 2 illustrates the base of a basic power saw arrangement 100 like that shown in FIGS. 1b-1d. The power saw arrangement 100 includes the table 140 and the handle 160 which projects from the table 140 into the handle space 110. When the table 140 rotates about the table axis 142, the handle 160 moves within the handle space 110. The movement of the handle 160 within the handle space 110 is limited by contact with the first stop 107 and the second stop 109. Consequently, the rotation of the table 140 is limited by the movement of the handle 160 within the handle space 110.
When performing a cutting operation, a user places the workpiece 10 (illustrated by dotted lines in FIG. 2) on the support surface 104 and the table surface 144 as shown. The workpiece 10 rests against the fence 120 to control the position and prevent movement of the workpiece 10 during the cutting operation. The workpiece 10 has a length 12 and a width 14. The angle of the handle 160, and thus the angle of the table 140, with respect to the base 102, determines the angle of the saw blade opening 146 which is configured to receive the saw blade. Therefore, when the saw blade opening 146 is aligned with the centerline 103 of the base 102, the saw blade will cut the workpiece at an angle of approximately 90 degrees.
As shown in FIG. 3, the table 140 can be rotated by rotating the handle 160 relative to the base 102 such that the saw blade opening 146 is no longer aligned with the centerline 103 of the base 102. When the handle 160 is rotated relative to the base 102, the table 140 is also rotated relative to the base 102 such that the saw blade and the saw blade opening 146 are rotated relative to the base 102. Because this arrangement causes the saw blade opening 146 to be out of alignment with the centerline 103 of the base 102, the workpiece 10 is cut at an angle other than 90 degrees.
As illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 3, the size of the workpiece 10 that can be accommodated by the power saw arrangement 100 is somewhat limited by the size of the base 102 and the position of the fence 120. In particular, if the width 14 of the workpiece 10 is too great, the workpiece 10 will not be stably supported by the support surface 104 and the table surface 144 which may result in inconsistent cuts. Therefore, supplemental supports which extend into the handle space 110 accommodate workpieces 10 having greater widths 14. However, supplemental supports which extend into the handle space 110 limit the range of movement of the handle 160 within the handle space 110 and thus limit the angles at which workpieces 10 can be cut. In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide an improved power saw arrangement including supplemental supports accommodating workpieces having greater widths. It would be further advantageous if the supplemental supports did not extend into the handle space unless necessary for wider workpieces so that the range of angles for rotation of the table would not be unnecessarily reduced.